Chapter 1A: Night out on the Town

THE SKEWERED DRAGON

---

Now that the team has decided to wait until sunrise to pursue their lead, Butler and company get comfortable and order another drink.THE OLD XOBLOB SHOP

---

Now that the team has decided to wait until sunrise to pursue their lead, Vatra and company pay the peculiar Old Xoblob Shop a visit.

A cloud of lavender-scented purple smoke trails out of the shop’s door as you peer inside. Every wall is painted purple, and every dusty knickknack on the shelves is dyed a deep violet. The hairless old gnome sitting cross-legged on the counter wears plum-colored robes. His cheeks are decorated with nine purple face-painted eyes.

The gnome lowers a pipe and exhales a cloud of lavender smoke before raising a hand. "Hail and well met! Come browse the shelves of the most curious curiosity shop in the world!"

Butler goes and grabs a few drinks and takes a seat, downing the first and starting to relax somewhat. As he sits he swings his feet up onto another chair and pulls out his dulcimer and begins to aimlessly strum away.

Vatra quietly greets the Gnomish proprietor with a nod before perusing the shelves. He smiles and says Just browsing for the moment. After a few moments he turns to the gnome and asks What items of interest do you have for sale?

The Deep Gnome's eyes bulge and he chokes on a lung-full of purple smoke.

"Why, every item I have for sale is an item of interest!"

He hoists a statuette of a panther, wooden and painted deep purple.

"I discovered this in Undermountain on my first trip down the well. Killed a dark elf for it. I think I have his twin scimitars here somewhere still .... "

He dives behind the counter and surfaces with something else instead: a purple cube made up of many smaller interlocking cubes. Each cube's face is a different color of purple.

"I don't know what this is, only that it is precious to me! One day I might unlock its secrets ... " He spins the cubic thing about and then tosses it into a pile of purple junk in a fit of frustration.

All the while, his eye tattoos watch you intently. They appear to be magical and follow you wherever you go.

Vatra inspects the panther statue. What else us got?

"Six gold pieces for that one." the strange Gnome calls out.

You are pretty sure it's just a carved piece of wood.

"What else? Why only the most extraordinary collection of artifacts and curios in the whole of the Sword Coast, perhaps the world! This, for example!

He pulls out a purple-painted alabaster mask and plunks it on the counter. It bears a striking resemblance to an owlbear.

"And this!"

He reaches the top of a low shelf and pulls out an indigo electric guitar.

At that moment, a pair of halflings walk past the entrance of the shop and the peculiar deep gnome frantically swivels on his surprisingly complex, mechanical chair. He jacks it up with a hand lever as he pulls a telescope from some concealed pocket within his plum-colored robes. He spies on the two as they pass, and then swivels back to the counter, where he produces a thick ledger.

He pulls a purple feather from an inkpot you didn't notice in all the mess, and scribes something hastily in the journal that you also mistook for junk. After, he takes a long, desperate puff from his pipe and returns to his previous, less anxious state.

"Ah yes, where were we? "

THE SKEWERED DRAGON

---

Butler strums his dulcimer and manages to bring some ambience and good cheer to this otherwise sour dive. A few walk-in patrons request some local favorites and the bartender happily keeps your cup full.

You get to know the regulars a little better as they warm up to the honest, rural sound of the dulcimer. The angry one with the sideburns and pipe is known as Shivers. He's vocal about preserving the Dock Ward and concerned about the rising price of living. He even sings along with you when you play Upsen Downs, always a crowd pleaser.You get to know the bartender and proprietor of the Skewered Dragon a bit better too. His goes by the name Cole, and claims to be a penniless artist who inherited the Skewered Dragon from his estranged father. Turns out it's been something of a curse; he's used to being poor but now he's knee-deep in debt now and struggling to turn things around.

"But who's not in debt in this town, eh? Everybody owes something to the Cassalanters."

THE SKEWERED DRAGON

---

Feeling a bit more relaxed, both from the more friendly atmosphere and the ale that’s running in his system now, Butler takes a few moments in between playing to chat with Cole. "Well I’ve not been in town too long but that seems like the truth of things. I’m not familiar with the name though, these Cassalanters people to step lightly round?"

"The Cassalanters? They're the first banking house worthy of our trust."

Cole goes on to explain that during the Tyranny of Dragons, the various banking houses of Waterdeep were implicated in aiding the Dragon Cultists to summon Tiamat, Goddess of Greed - at the expense of Waterdhavians' savings. All except one - House Cassalanter, who invested considerable amounts of their own fortune preventing a financial collapse in the City of Splendours in Tiamat's wake.

"Now they're the only banking house left, but good riddance to those traitors. Now that times are booming, the Cassalanters are getting their just reward."

Hmm, don't have much need for masks. He looks at the guitar, picks it up and looks at it a little closer.

THE SKEWERED DRAGON

---

Butler frowns for a moment "Doesn't that worry you at all? Only having the house left to deal with? I mean I don't doubt they've done good for the city but it just seems a bit risky being in a position where you only have one option to deal with if you need that kind of financial help"

THE OLD XOBLOB SHOP

---

Alastriona, having accompanied Vatra to the gnome's shop, stands impassively by the door as the genasi browses the wares. She studies the gnome's behavior, staring at the eye tattoos and remembering Krentz from the Battle of the Bands. Also recalling the brawl, she wonders if these tattoos are in any way related, and whether the gnome could possibly be aware of their involvement.

THE OLD XOBLOB SHOP

---

The gnome sees you eyeing the purple guitar.

"Ah, you are a creature of descerning tastes. Indeed, the instrument previously belonged to a tiefling who turned it over to me in desperation. It bears the mark of Azmodeus, and reverberates with power. Be warned, I will not part with it cheaply."

Indeed, when he flips over the guitar, Azmodeus's symbol is burned into the wood body. You suspect this instrument may actually be imbued with fiendish magics.

In the meantime, Alastriona notices the gnome's tattoos are quite similar to Krentz's. You can tell he wears them comfortably and displays them without shyness.

Xelia quietly enters the shop, perusing the shelves for something simple but elegant.

Xelia's perusing takes her through aisles of purple merch. You encounter a strange mix of junk and bizarre odds and ends. One thing catches your eye: an old divination card bearing your likeness pokes out behind a lavender candle. The resemblence between the tabaxi woman on the card (The Queen of Swords) and yourself is uncanny.

Xelia casually pockets the card.

The Gnome's eye tattoos twitch vigorously. He stands on his mechanical chair and waves his arms frantically at you.

"Hey! You better be paying for that!"